Whaling

I am writing in regard to the suggested compromise by the Japanese government to kill 400 sperm whales in two years in exchange for abiding with the global ban in 1988.

I can understand the economic reasons for wanting to maintain a good trade relationship with Japan. However, we are allowing the Japanese to take advantage of this situation. They received due notice that economic sanctions would be imposed by the United States if they exceeded the quotas established by the International Whaling Commission. They ignored these warnings and now expect to escape the economic sanctions by promising to follow the 1988 ban.

If the United States backs down on our previous stand, what is to keep the Japanese from ignoring the 1988 global ban as they have ignored the previous quotas? In two years time, the only difference in the situation will be an additional 400 dead whales and a major loss of credibility in U. S. environmental policy.